Hollywood beckons for Metal Gear Film

It’s been 25 years since the first Metal Gear game was released, but creator Hideo Kojima seems to have finally got his wish. Solid Snake is coming to Hollywood.

When Solid Snake hit our PlayStations in 1998, it was a massive hit for the Sony console. With its movie style cut scenes intermingling with a gameplay favouring stealth, it was inevitable that Hollywood would come calling.

The game first started out on MSX as Metal Gear in 1987 with Snake searching for the elusive Metal Gear weapon.  Set in the Cold War the game had political themes, which extended to the numerous sequels, which makes the game tailor made for the transition to film.

There have been a number of rumours over the years about the possibility of a big screen adaption, but all have failed to come to fruition. Mike De Luca of Moneyball fame had been working on the transition in 2008, but for reasons unknown, it fell through. Although a success in the video game industry, this doesn’t automatically mean that the film will follow the same route. Many a game has fallen by the wayside after the jump to the movies. We all remember the abomination that Street Fighter became once Jean Claude stepped into the boots of Guile. And let’s not forget the recently retired Bob Hoskins as our favourite Italian Plumber, Mario. What could work in Metal Gear’s favour is the cinematic feel that the games already have. The cut scenes, the voice work, the character development will all make the jump just that little bit easier. The stealth will appeal to fans of the lone secret agent type of film; although fingers crossed it doesn’t go the way of Hitman.

Nobody is currently attached to the project. No director. No cast. Just wishful thinking and speculation. Who will direct? Kojima seems to like the thought of Christopher Nolan. Fresh from his success at rebranding Batman, Nolan would seem ideal to guide Snake on to the big screen. Who will be playing Snake, is the big question. Not to mention which Snake will we be seeing. The younger more naïve version or the older grey mane flowing in the breeze incarnation. Once the story is developed, the guessing will begin. As in the games, patience is the way to go.